Manchester City – Champions of England!

Cast your minds back to the turn of the new century. Move forward over the following 18 season of England’s top flight football and you will see why Manchester City are already champions in waiting for 2017/18. Second placed finished in the premier league have only managed as much as 89 points for the highest total gained by the side finishing second. And that was in 2011/12 when Manchester United finished equal on top with their noisy neighbors only to lose the title on goal difference.

Manchester City currently sit on 52 points and still have a further 20 matches to contest between now and May. In reality, they need at most, 37 points to claim their fourth title. The first came back in 1936/37 before a further twenty one years for their second. As you know, the third and fourth titles have come in the era of the Arab money that floods world football. Only on ten previous occasions since the turn of the century have side finishing second amassed more than 80 points.

Twice since the turn of the century have the second placed side garnered 86 points with two runners up also finishing on 85, once with 84, three times with 83 and just once with 80. So you can see that clearly, City may need even less than the projected 37 points to collect their 5th English crown. Of course, the media will try and paint a different picture however, for a team that is yet to lose this season, it would take a monumental calamity for City to not win the league this season. Pep Guardiola must know deep down that the job is done as would the players.

For Manchester United to challenge for the title this season, not only would they require City to fall over but they themselves would be required to amass 48 points from their remaining 20 fixtures and then some. Essentially, Manchester United would need to win almost all their remaining games and that simply isn’t going to happen. Even if record signing, Paul Pogba fires on all engines, it still appears impossible for United to catch City. With an easy run of fixtures over the festive season, City should be around 13-16 points clear at the top as we move into 2018.

Take a look below to see how the second placed side have fared since the turn of the millennium. Perhaps now you can understand why Manchester City will be crowned champions of England come May next year.